Healthy Living Centres:

An inspiration to address health inequalities

Overview of the HLC Programme

• £300 million made available across the UK

• Launched January 1999

• Closed December 2001

• 349 Grants (351 actual awards made)

• Majority now in year 2 of 5 year grants

• Capital and revenue at different stages

Programme aims

• Reflecting the needs of local people and communities

• To reduce health inequalities and improve the health of the worst off in society

• Promote prevention rather than cure

What are healthy living centres like?

• Diverse in nature, no standard model

• Some building based

• Most provide activities and services in a range of different settings

• Some based on a single theme (e.g. mental health), others have 3 or 4 themes

Common themes

• Targeting disadvantage– 82% of projects in England are in priority

areas

• Tackling determinants of poor health and premature death

• Local ownership of projects

• Strong partnership working– Communities; statutory sector

HLC Activities

• Accident prevention• Arts and music• Basic skills• Community capacity

building• Community cafes• Complementary therapies• Counselling

• Credit Unions• Debt management• Employment Training• Exercise classes• Food co-ops• Parenting skills• Smoking cessation• Well man/ woman

clinics

Contribution to government health priorities

• 20% offer exercise opportunities

• 49% provide training in cookery skills and nutrition

• 10% will organise food co-ops

• 35% provide smoking cessation services

• 52% wil work with tenage mothers

• 25% will provide substance misuse service

Evaluation

• Fund committed to evaluation and learning• 4 year evaluation of the HLC programme

commissioned from the Bridge Consortium• Early findings show that HLCs are in ‘the right

place’– Target deprived people– Address needs of minority groups/ethnic

communities• Overlap with other area based initiatives

Sustainability

• Engage with local people

• Be involved in community development

• Actively evaluate

• work with NHS particularly PCTS

• Work with local government

• Develop local sustainability plan

ENGAGING COMMUNITIES LEARNING NETWORK

Sharing to Sustain - The Celebratory Event

9th March 2004 - Novotel Hammersmith

Powderhorn / Phillips Cultural Wellness Center

“exists to… unleash the power of citizens to heal themselves and to build community”

www.ppcwc.org

North Hawaii Community Hospital‘Five Mountains’

vision is “To become the most healing hospital in the world.”

www.fivemountains.org

ENGAGING COMMUNITIES LEARNING NETWORK

Sharing to Sustain - The Celebratory Event

9th March 2004 - Novotel Hammersmith